I've spoken about the Gatton-Clifton Road before, but I thought I'd make it a topic.

It's a much easier route if you want to come to the eastern side of the range, without using the Pacific Hwy etc. There's also the Esk-Hampton Road, but I haven't been that way for along time, and not with the van, so I can't comment.

The Gatton-Clifton Road is a bit rough in parts. Some roadworks have been done, and there's still more going on. But in my opinion, this is still a much less stressful route than the range. And a lot more scenic too.

The section where it follows along the creek in a gap in the mountains, is particularly scenic. I wish I could have stopped to take photos but there's just nowhere to pull over. It's quite windy in parts, but it's an easy climb east to west.

There's a nice park at Heifer Creek where you can free camp, and there's a toilet there. There's also a shop/café at Ma Ma Creek, but I've never stopped there so have no opinion of it.

The eastern side runs through the flat farming area of the Lockyer region, where there are often stalls selling pumpkins etc. The western side is farming land too, but mainly grain crops.

There's so much to see between Toowoomba and Brisbane, so don't let the range put you off exploring the Lockyer region.

http://www.discoverlockyer.com.au/pages/great-trails/